MANILA, Philippines - Fireworks smuggled from the Philippines were lit up in Sabah for Chinese New Year revelries on Friday.
In a report by alternative Malaysian news outfit Free Malaysia Today, Sabah Police Commissioner Hamza Taib said that illegal exporters have brought in the pyrotechnics manufactured in the Philippines through a chain of islands connecting Mindanao to the disputed Malaysian state.
Hamza said that smugglers managed to enter the region despite stepped up security following the insurrection of members of the Sultanate of Sulu early in 2013.
"Everything is smuggled in from the Philippines now, cigarettes, alcohol (and even), fireworks (which) used to be brought in illegally from China. But now, they even have fireworks factories in the Philippines," Hamza said.
The official also blamed the smuggling problem in Sabah to foreigners, saying that illegal operations are not mainly run by locals.
"You can see the problem is widespread in the state because we have so many foreigners here," Hamza said.
The Philippines, however, also has its share of smuggled fireworks, amounting up to half of those sold in the domestic market.
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